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Test hopeful Harris out of Big Bash

Injury-plagued fast bowler Ryan Harris has been ruled out of the Big Bash League in a bid to improve his chances of a return to Test cricket.

With Harris unavailable, Brisbane Heat have named his Queensland Bulls team-mate Matthew Gale as a replacement for rest of the Twenty20 tournament.

Harris, who is back bowling in the nets after having surgery to repair a rotator cuff injury in August to his right shoulder, was aiming to play for the Heat next month.

Queensland medical staff have opted to take a more gradual build-up to Harris' return, setting him to be back and ready for selection for the resumption of the Sheffield Shield and Ryobi Cup in February.

"It's disappointing because I am pretty close but to push now might not turn out to be the best thing for longer term, and everyone agrees that I will be best suited to come back with Toombul in club cricket first up in January and then aim to be considered for the first Queensland games after the BBL,'' Harris said on Monday.

"I've been feeling pretty good in the nets so far, and while I'm not bowling off the full run-up or at full pace, I'm very positive about getting up to that level soon."

Harris will travel with the Heat as an assistant coach this week to Adelaide for the BBL match against the Strikers on Thursday night and will continue his bowling build-up with Brisbane in Adelaide.

Sunshine Coast paceman Gale, who was contracted to the Heat last season without playing a game, turned out for the Chairman's XI against Sri Lanka in Canberra last week after a player of the match effort in his first Ryobi Cup game of the season for the Bulls last month.

Meanwhile, West Indian fast bowler Kemar Roach will link up with the Heat in Adelaide on Wednesday ahead of Thursday's clash with the Strikers at Adelaide Oval.